As you progress through your journey in *Avowed*, you'll inevitably encounter higher-level enemies. To maintain your combat effectiveness, upgrading your gear to match or surpass these foes is crucial. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to upgrade weapons and armor in *Avowed*.
Where to Upgrade Weapons and Armor in Avowed
In *Avowed*, the key to upgrading your weapons and armor is the Workbench, as shown in the image above. Each upgrade requires specific materials, which vary depending on the type of weapon or armor and its Quality. While most materials are readily available in the world or can be crafted, upgrading from one Quality to another demands progressively rarer forms of Adra.
Workbenches are located at Party Camps, which you can establish at any Adra Waystone found in the world. To set up a Party Camp, simply interact with an Adra Waystone and choose to establish the camp. These locations will then appear on your map marked with a tent icon, allowing you to fast travel to them for easy access to your Workbench.
How Weapon and Armor Leveling Works in Avowed
In *Avowed*, the power level of weapons and armor is tracked through two main metrics: Quality and additional upgrade tiers. Quality is denoted by a numerical value, color rarity, and an adjective describing the item's level. This Quality corresponds to the levels of enemies you'll encounter in the Living Lands. Using weapons and armor of a lower Quality than your enemies will render them relatively ineffective in combat.
When facing enemies with higher levels than your gear's Quality, you'll find your weapons dealing less damage and your armor offering less protection than expected. However, there are bonuses when fighting enemies of the same or lower level, so upgrading your gear to keep pace with enemy progression is vital for staying effective in combat. Here's a breakdown of every weapon Quality in *Avowed*:
- Common Quality – Green, Level I
- Fine Quality – Blue, Level II
- Exceptional – Purple, Level III
- Superb – Red, Level IV
- Legendary – Gold, Level V
Within each Quality, you can further upgrade your weapons and armor through three additional tiers, marked as +0 through +3. These upgrades enhance the stats of your gear, though not as dramatically as increasing the Quality. Importantly, you must complete all three additional upgrades before you can advance to the next Quality level.
Avowed Weapon and Armor Additional Upgrades Explained
Each Quality of gear in *Avowed* includes three additional upgrade tiers, ranging from +0 to +3. These upgrades provide incremental stat boosts, enhancing the effectiveness of your weapons and armor without the significant leap that comes from increasing Quality. Remember, you must max out these upgrades before you can elevate the Quality of your gear.
Which Weapons and Armor Should You Upgrade in Avowed?
In *Avowed*, weapons and armor are categorized into standard and Unique items. Standard gear is commonly found throughout the world, either as loot or for purchase from Merchants. Unique gear, on the other hand, consists of named, special items often acquired through Main or Side Quests, dropped by bosses or bounties, or occasionally sold by select Merchants.
Unique weapons and armor can be upgraded to Legendary Quality, surpassing the Superb limit of standard items. Additionally, Unique gear comes with extra bonuses and perks, making them far superior to standard gear. Therefore, it's advisable to focus your resources on upgrading Unique items rather than standard gear. Treat standard gear as disposable, using it until you can find and upgrade Unique items, and consider selling or breaking it down for resources to further enhance your Unique weapons and armor.
And that’s how to upgrade weapons and armor in *Avowed*. By following these guidelines, you'll ensure your gear remains competitive, allowing you to tackle the game's challenges head-on.
*Avowed is available now on PC and Xbox.*
